Youth Engagement Specialist

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the transformation to efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems to improve production, nutrition, environment, and livelihoods globally. As a specialized UN agency, FAO leads efforts to achieve food security for all. FAO Country Offices provide policy advice, technical assistance, and capacity development, aligning with national frameworks and fostering partnerships to strengthen impact. Nepal's agricultural sector, vital for its economy, faces challenges like outdated technologies and climate change impacts. Empowering youth is crucial for innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability in this transition.

Job Purpose

The Youth Engagement Specialist will provide essential programmatic and operational support for youth engagement initiatives within FAO Nepal. This role involves mainstreaming youth-focused interventions across various FAO programmes, ensuring effective project implementation, fostering strategic partnerships, and managing knowledge related to youth empowerment. The specialist will work to align these efforts with FAO's overarching strategic priorities and Nepal's national development frameworks. Key responsibilities include supporting project execution, developing proposals and reports, organizing events, and facilitating collaboration with stakeholders to enhance youth participation and leadership in agrifood systems transformation.

Responsibilities

Lead the mainstreaming of youth interventions within FAO's country programme, consolidating global, regional, and national projects to ensure youth inclusion and support youth-led organizations like the WFF Nepal Chapter. Assist programme leads in executing project activities and meeting timelines by coordinating with FAO projects, programmes, and partners. Spearhead the preparation of project proposals, briefs, progress reports, and studies. Foster collaboration and partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Collect and compile data on programme activities to support reporting on delivery. Organize policy dialogues, workshops, and consultation meetings, and prepare for youth-focused interventions, project reviews, and field missions in coordination with the programme team and government counterparts. Plan and manage logistics for meetings, seminars, and events, including preparing minutes and correspondence. Enter, analyze, and summarize data from FAO corporate systems to support programme operations. Maintain and update records, and prepare periodic and ad hoc project reports. Prepare correspondence to verify data and address queries. Carry out other operational tasks for youth intervention implementation as requested.

Work Experience

Requires at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in youth engagement and empowerment within agrifood systems. This includes experience in mainstreaming youth in programmes/projects, developing partnerships (e.g., with youth networks/WFF platforms), and leading project implementation, reporting, and stakeholder coordination. Experience in organizing events, workshops, and campaigns, and supporting youth-focused advocacy and capacity-building activities is also necessary.

Skills

Core competencies include Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, and Knowledge Sharing. Technical skills encompass youth engagement and mainstreaming in agrifood systems (including WFF initiatives), programme/project formulation, implementation, and reporting, partnership development with youth networks, advocacy, and capacity-building. Proficiency in knowledge management, communication, and documentation is essential. Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for report and proposal preparation are required. Strong communication and interpersonal skills for engaging diverse groups are vital.

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